Golden State Warriors: 2009 NBA Draft

- We’ll update our Team
Capsules with more specific info once the lottery is complete.

Golden State Warriors

2008-09 Record: 29-53

Draft Picks: 7 (projected)

Key Free Agents: Jamal Crawford, CJ Watson (restricted)

How they got here:

Turns out, defense is kind of important in the NBA these days. The Warriors
ranked second in the league in points per game, but last in points allowed,
which helps explain their record. The team has plenty of scoring options,
especially on the perimeter, but they have no real inside presence, and an
inconsistent rotation killed the team chemistry. Monta Ellis only played in 25
games, which hurt, but that doesn’t fully explain the dismal performance. With
the volatile Stephen Jackson serving as the de facto leader on the floor, the
Warriors were disjointed and prone to inconsistency. The Warriors have some
talented pieces, but this team was thrown together with no regards to meshing
talents, and their play reflected it. They have an abundance of shoot-first
wings and two young, lean, athletic forwards in Anthony Randolph and Brandan
Wright who need more court time to develop.

Who they’ll take:

A pass-first point guard would be a welcome change of pace for the Warriors, who
often times look as though their goal is for each player to shoot as much as
possible. Brandon
Jennings would be a good fit, and
his athleticism would fit right in with their up tempo attack. The Warriors also
lack a lot of depth in the post after Andris Biedrins and Ronny Turiaf, as
Randolph and Wright aren’t strong enough to be effective in a halfcourt set.
Getting a bruiser like Patrick
Patterson or DeJuan
Blair would help up front. Given their
lack of emphasis on chemistry though, the Warriors may be content to draft a
more talented player who may not fill a need, like Wake Forest’s James Johnson
or USC’s Demar DeRozan, both players who would likely thrive in their system.

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About Jason Brubaker

ColumnistKentucky & SEC

Contactjkbru22@yahoo.com

Background

Jason Brubaker is a graduate of the University of Kentucky. He formerly worked as a reporter for WVLK 590 AM in Lexington covering UK athletics, local high school sports, and the Kentucky Derby for a nightly
sports talk show. He is currently a reporter for The Community Recorder in Florence, Ky.